[5.]The house was silent when I woke up the next morning. Lying still for a few minutes, I listened out for the usual sounds of people making breakfast, and the television blaring. All that surrounded me was an eerie quietness that caused me to swing my legs over the side of the bed and get up. But before I got that far, I noticed a note on the bedside table addressed to me.Sunny,Please make sure to do the morning dishes and fold yesterdays’ washing. We’ve all gone out onto the yard and will see you at lunch time. Oh and the flowers could do with a morning shower. Maddie x“Oh so I’m the housebound slave eh?” I grumbled, screwing up the letter and reaching for my crutches. I hobbled out into the living part of the house and groaned at the sight before me. The whole couch was covered in assorted clothing waiting to be folded and there was a stack of plates needing to be washed. “Just bloody perfect.”I made my way into the kitchen and balanced myself, reaching for the refrigerator handle. Yanking it open, I pulled the milk out onto the bench and then fumbled to find the cereal and a bowl, clumsily making my breakfast. I glanced at the dining table and then at the bowl, wondering how on earth I was going to get it there. Letting out a groan, I readjusted myself and scoffed it down, trying to keep off my bad leg, although I lost my balance a couple of times. Once I was done, I dumped the plate in the sink and hobbled over to the closest chair, sitting down and it and letting out a deep breath. “Now how the h*ll am I meant to do the dishes?” I wondered aloud, looking around the house for a solution. I spotted a stool on wheels in the corner of the kitchen and went to retrieve it, cautiously taking a seat on it and then wheeled myself to the sink. I smiled as I realised I’d be able to reach everything and set to work, finding the remote to the stereo on the bench and switching on some music. Twenty minutes later the dishes were all sitting in the tray drying off and I felt a small burst of satisfaction from completing my task. My annoyance subsided and without thought, I continued on with my tasks, folding the washing into neat piles upon the coffee table. I took a small break to rest my leg and then reminded myself of what was left to do. “The flowers, right.” I stopped halfway to the door, glancing down at myself and my short nightie that I was still wearing. Feeling my oily hair, I turned around, and thumped down the hall to the bathroom. I shut the door and looked around at what was waiting for me. The shower had my special seat sitting in it and I noticed my toiletries were in a small shower tray beside it. All I needed was a towel and I’d be ready to shower. I found a pile of towels under the sink, and balancing myself, I quickly reached for one, yanking it off the top and shutting the door to the cabinet. I placed the towel on a shelf and then sat down on my special seat. “I can do this all by myself,” I said determinedly, knowing the confidence I felt was from completing my tasks before. Since the incident I hadn’t taken a shower alone completely, my leg holding me back in shifting around myself. But as I sat on the edge of my seat and unwrapped the bandages upon my leg, I ignored my rationality, knowing there was no one to help me anyway. I figured if I showered and dressed, I’d be able to do the flowers before lunch time. This was all the incentive I needed and carefully lifting my leg out of the end of the bandages, I got over one of the small obstacles facing me. I removed my clothes and slid back on the seat, glad that this shower didn’t have a huge side to it like the one back home. I gritted my teeth and coiled my left foot under my bad leg, hoisting it up so I could slide back some more. Soon I was sitting fully in the shower and I let out a cry of delight, revelling in the fact I was able to do something for myself here. I stretched up for the tap and water soon rained down upon me, my mood lightening as the hot spray seeped through my dry skin and revitalised me. I cleaned my hair and body, spending an extra five minutes just enjoying the water. Finally I reached up to turn off the tap and opened the curtain, ecstatic to see no water on the floor. “Best shower yet,” I announced happily, and guided my leg back out so I could sit on the edge again. I then realised what I was missing from my equation and began to panic. My dilated focus darted around the room, and I wondered what I could use in place of my wheelchair. My confidence pushed its way back to the top, calming my nerves so I could think it through. “Just do it slowly Sunny. Towel first,” I ordered and nodding to myself, I stood up shakily and reached for the soft fabric, wrapping it around my body and then clutching at my crutches before I fell. I smiled and decided I would go get dressed and then come back for my bandages, knowing I wouldn’t be able to carry them with me. I hobbled as quickly as I could down the hallway, despite being the only occupant in the house and then flung open the top drawer Kate had filled with my under garments. I managed to dress myself, although it took some time and by the end of it I was sore and tired. But my stubborn streak fuelled me on to get what I needed for my leg, going back to the bathroom, and after putting a folded towel on the almost dry shower seat, I sat back down and reached out for my bandages. After a few stretches, I still hadn’t been able to grab them. I stood back up, and balancing myself, I leant down for the roll on the floor. “Come here you stupid thing,” I growled and pushed my arm down further, my fingertips grazing the side of the fabric. I wobbled but continued reaching out, determined to grab it. My fingers clasped the fraying edge of one and I cried out, realising I was going to fall. I snapped myself back up but I couldn’t find my balance and my weight sent me backwards. I reached out for everything around me and screamed again, my bottom contacting with the seat and I grasped it with my hands, panting heavily as my leg hit the ground but I didn’t go any further. The scream that left my mouth upon contact was deafening and I sat there shaking, the sobs leaving my mouth a moment later. I don’t know how long I sat there, my top soaked through from tears and my exhausted body slumping against the side of the shower in defeat. I called out for help several times, waiting for someone to come find me and help out. I made no attempt to get the bandages for awhile, but when the tears finally subsided, I realised I hadn’t really hurt myself at all. Whatever was left in my tear duct ceased and I sniffled a couple of times, my brain sending messages to my leg to see if it was hurt. I couldn’t distinguish any ache or pain and I roughly wiped my damp face. Deciding to see if I could use my crutch to scoot the bandages over, I pushed them towards me and then bent down for one, feeling foolish for not doing that in the first place. I held my breath as I put them back on my leg clumsily, but they seemed to stay on securely once I was done. I headed off slowly to my room, changing my soaked top for a clean one and took some medication. I waited ten more minutes and slowly went out to the living area, Maddie coming through the door as I started towards it. She took a look at my obvious state and walked to my side.“I’m sorry, I was just heading to do the flowers,” I said quietly, and she nodded once.“Did you take a shower?”“Yeah, I did.”“Everything okay?” she asked with concern and I forced a smile onto my face.“Is now.”Maddie stared at me for a moment and then nodded again. “Good, looks like you’ve done a great job today.”“Thanks.”“Might have to give you some more tasks for tomorrow then.”“Sure,” I said absentmindedly, still heading to the door. “Just going to do the flowers now.”“Okay, I’m going to start on lunch hun,” she told me and walked towards the kitchen. I opened the sliding door and stepped outside, slumping happily into my wheelchair and letting out a sigh of relief. I then glanced back inside at my Aunt, wondering why she hadn’t made a fuss over me like everyone else did. I smiled briefly, feeling a glimpse of hope wake up within me. Maybe I wasn’t as crippled as I thought.

[6.]A couple of days had passed by and I’d taken on more responsibility in the house. I found myself enjoying it, completing the small tasks set for me was making my mood lift and my attitude was brighter. I was still struggling to communicate with the others; it was easier just to stay in my shell. Kate and I still hadn’t made up, although we were talking to one another when necessary. I didn’t feel any anger towards her anymore though, I just didn’t know what to say to make things right. Aaron was polite but didn’t have much to talk to me about, and most of the conversation at the dinner table was on what they had been out doing during the day. I tried hard to tune out at these points, not wanting to know about any of the horses out there. It was around one and I had just finished folding the washing, when my Aunt stepped inside. She looked around the clean living space and smiled.“You did a nice job in here, how did you get on with washing the kitchen floor?”I smiled and pointed at the stool on wheels. “I sat on that and wheeled around while mopping. It was a bit hard, I think it would be easier in my wheelchair cos it has brakes, but I got the job done.”“Good, next time you do it; I’ll get Aaron to lift your chair inside.”“That would be awesome,” I said with a nod and Maddie smiled. She sat down in one of the opposite armchairs and I waited for what she was going to say next.“I want to ask something of you Sunny.”“Uh, okay,” I said nervously and my Aunt laughed gently.“It’s not a physical job, don’t worry. I want to know how good you are with a computer.”I relaxed immediately. “Oh, I’m pretty good; I mean I was a uni student earlier this year.”“That you were,” Maddie said and nodded. “Good. I was hoping I could give you a job here at the farm.”“But I already have one,” I mentioned with confusion.“Cleaning was just a way to give you something to do, something to achieve. And you’ve been doing a pretty good job at that,” she explained and I stared at her in disbelief, not realising she had a motive behind it all. “Now I want to give you a bigger job. I get so behind on the book keeping of the place-”“But it’s just a privately owned farm, isn’t it?” I interrupted and Maddie shook her head.“You haven’t been listening much have you? Silver Creek is not only a stud farm anymore. I don’t just train and sell my own horses. In fact the majority of the horses we have are sent here by their owners. I branched out a year or so ago and started taking on clients. We teach people, and train horses here Sunny.”“Oh.”Maddie smiled. “So what I need you to do is keep on top of things like invoices for supplies, making sure our clients are kept up with what’s happening with their horses, letting me know when we have more interest in new clients and stuff like that.”“I don’t know, I mean I...” I trailed off and looked away from my relative. I had purposely avoided listening to their conversations, not wanting anything to do with horses again. It was bad enough being on the farm, although I had managed to avoid all contact with horses so far. Doing the office work would mean I’d have to talk about the animal again and I wasn’t sure I could handle that yet.Maddie seemed to read my mind. She got up and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Just think about it Sunny. I best get back out there; Kate’s getting another lesson shortly.”“She’s taking lessons?” I blurted out and Maddie nodded.“Every day, she’s getting really good, not that she wasn’t before. But she finally understands the concept of how we train here. Bye sweetheart.”“Bye,” I said quietly, my mind reeling at the information I had just received. I stared at the sliding door and then shook my head. I would decline Maddie’s offer when she came back.

It was getting close to four that afternoon and I was sitting on the couch with my leg up, listening to my iPod and bopping along to it. A different sound interrupted my song and I pulled my headphones off, glancing around the room for the phone. I found it and hobbled over, answering it breathlessly.“Hello is that Maddie Miller?” the caller asked and I took a deep breath so I could reply.“No sorry, this is her niece Sunny. She’s out on the yard right now; can I take a message for her?”“Ah, is it possible to get her, I have an urgent case for her and would like to discuss it,” the caller persisted and I groaned inwardly.“I’m sorry I’m house bound and-”“Surely there’s a way you can get her? My mare is colicky and-”“Call a vet then,” I retorted but felt guilty for the remark. I knew how serious the situation was and sighed. “I’ll be about ten minutes, if you really need her.”“Oh yes please, thank you so much.” I dumped the phone on the table and then hobbled across the house to the exit. I bounded over the threshold and hurried along the path towards the stable block. I figured I’d find someone quickly and then be able to turn around before I saw anything. After turning onto the gravel pathway I tried to keep my pace up, but I was panting from all the exercise.“Sunny, what are you doing out here?” Kate’s voice called out and I stopped, turning my head to follow it. I gasped loudly and lost my balance slightly, my eyes glued upon the animal my best friend was sitting on. “Sunny!”I heard footsteps behind me vaguely but all I could see was the big chestnut Kate was sitting on and then my nightmare returned, hitting me with full force. Tears rolled down my cheeks and I started backing up, smacking into something warm. “Kate, get Lucian out of here now!” Maddie ordered and one of the chestnut horses in my vision trotted away. My Aunt then moved in front of me, although whoever was steadying me from behind was still there. “What are you doing out here?!”“Urgent phone call,” I whispered, feeling my legs shake again. Bug’s screams filled my head then and I let go of everything, clasping my hands over my ears. I didn’t fall to the ground however, my body trembling against strong arms. I figured it was Aaron who was lowering me slowly to the ground and I curled up the best I could, rocking back and forth. “Make it go away, please,” I called faintly through my tears, clamping my eyes shut and hoping to escape it all.

Register Now

In order to be able to post messages on the The Horse Forum forums, you must first register.

Already have a Horse Forum account?
Members are allowed only one account per person at the Horse Forum, so if you've made an account here in the past you'll need to continue using that account. Please do not create a new account or you may lose access to the Horse Forum. If you need help recovering your existing account, please Contact Us. We'll be glad to help!

New to the Horse Forum?Please choose a username you will be satisfied with using for the duration of your membership at the Horse Forum. We do not change members' usernames upon request because that would make it difficult for everyone to keep track of who is who on the forum. For that reason, please do not incorporate your horse's name into your username so that you are not stuck with a username related to a horse you may no longer have some day, or use any other username you may no longer identify with or care for in the future.

User Name:

Password

Please enter a password for your user account. Note that passwords are case-sensitive.

Password:

Confirm Password:

Email Address

Please enter a valid email address for yourself.

Email Address:

Log-in

User Name

Remember Me?

Password

Human Verification

In order to verify that you are a human and not a spam bot, please enter the answer into the following box below based on the instructions contained in the graphic.

Old Thread Warning

This thread is more than 90 days old. When a thread is this old, it is often better to start a new thread rather than post to it. However, If you feel you have something of value to add to this particular thread, you can do so by checking the box below before submitting your post.I am aware that this is an old thread and I want to revive it rather than starting a new thread.